Patents Assigned to Nelson Irrigation Corporation
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Patent number: 12186766Abstract: A sprinkler nozzle is configured for a sprinkler positioned at a distal end of a center pivot irrigation system. The sprinkler nozzle includes a connection part securable to the sprinkler, and a nozzle opening downstream of the connection part. A nozzle opening downstream of the connection part is part-toroidal shaped and partially blocked or skewed to control water flow to portions of the deflector plate according to a desired wetted area. The part-toroidal shape spans an arc less than 360 degrees. The nozzle enables a custom designed water application to complement the other sprinklers that are on the pivot and can be shaped to also apply water a distance beyond the end of the pivot pipe to match the application rate of the sprinklers along the pivot pipe.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2021Date of Patent: January 7, 2025Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Lee A. Perkins, Craig B. Nelson, Loren Vander Griend
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Patent number: 12036569Abstract: An automatic reversible arc assembly for a sprinkler includes a pair of primary stop members circumferentially spaced from each other by a first amount, and a pair of secondary stop members circumferentially spaced from each other by a second amount, different from the first amount. The primary stop members and the secondary stop members are coupled together and define a pivot assembly pivotable between a first position and a second position. A timer module cooperable with the pivot assembly is configured to hold the pivot assembly in the first position for a selectable period of time, after which the timer module enables the pivot assembly to pivot to the second position. The primary stop members are active in the first position, and the secondary stop members are active in the second position.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2021Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Mathew L. Zimmerman, Craig B. Nelson, Chad D. Leinweber, Joseph Daniel Sinden
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Patent number: 11964293Abstract: A rigid mount orbitor sprinkler assembly incorporates a deflector plate configuration that is configured for both spinning/rotating motion as well as orbital or wobbling motion around the center of a spool assembly. The sprinkler incorporates structure to reduce drool that may fall in a concentrated area below the sprinkler and to prevent debris from sandy water or the like from accelerating sprinkler component wear. With reduced vibration, the assembly may be rigidly mounted on a center pivot or other supporting structure while achieving the advantages associated with wobbling and rotating sprinkler assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2020Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: George L. Sesser, Craig B. Nelson
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Patent number: 11933408Abstract: A flow control device includes a housing with an inlet and an outlet and a flow conduit disposed in the housing. The inlet, the flow conduit, and the outlet define a flow passage. A valve seat is disposed in the housing downstream of the inlet, and a shuttle is movably disposed in the housing and displaceable between a closed position engaging the valve seat to close the flow passage and an open position spaced from the valve seat to open the flow passage. A sealed chamber is defined between the housing and the flow conduit. A port coupled with a source of pressurized fluid communicates with the sealed chamber, where the shuttle is displaceable between the closed position and the open position based on a pressure in the sealed chamber. The threshold water pressure for displacing the flow conduit may be adjustable by modifying the pressure in the sealed chamber.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Craig B. Nelson, Riley D. Greenwood
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Patent number: 11885450Abstract: A quick connect coupler includes a female connector having a central bore and a plurality of recesses, and a male connector having a post insertable into the central bore. The male connector has a first tab row with a plurality of first tabs and a second tab row with a plurality of second tabs axially spaced from the plurality of first tabs. The first and second tabs are shaped corresponding to the recesses in the female connector. The first and second tab rows are circumferentially offset to effect a two- or multi-step connection between the female connector and the male connector.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Craig B. Nelson, Chad D. Leinweber, Mathew L. Zimmerman
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Patent number: 11745207Abstract: A sprinkler includes a pop-up deflector plate that is engageable with a brake assembly in an extended position. A brake module is secured to a sprinkler body and includes a rotatable connector coupled with the brake assembly. The pop-up deflector plate is disposed adjacent the nozzle and engages the rotatable connector in the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2020Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Steven E. Crawford, Andrew B. Hellie, Craig B. Nelson
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Patent number: 11576012Abstract: An irrigation system includes a network hub and a plurality of remote terminal units configured for wireless communication with the network hub. The remote terminal units are connected to a device for irrigation control or sensing, such as a valve for a sprinkler. The network hub is configured to transmit a wireless broadcast to the remote terminal units, in which the wireless broadcast includes a plurality of individual packets transmitted in succession, each of the plurality of individual packets including a network identifier associated with the network hub, a time remaining in a broadcast period of time, and an assignment map indicative of an assigned state for each of the plurality of remote terminal units.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2022Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Nelson Irrigation CorporationInventors: Travis Griggs, Mark Bauman
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Patent number: 11511290Abstract: A flow control device including: a housing including a flow passage extending from an inlet, through the housing to an outlet; a hollow tube within the housing defining a tube passage included in the flow passage of the housing; a valve seat in the housing and disposed between the inlet to the flow passage and an inlet to the tube passage of the hollow tube; and a drain check shuttle within the housing and configured to move reciprocally with respect to both the housing and the hollow tube, wherein the drain check shuttle has: a first position within the housing at which the drain check shuttle abuts the valve seat, and closes a gap between the valve seat and the inlet to the hollow tube; and a second position displaced from the valve seat and which opens the gap.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventor: Riley D. Greenwood
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Patent number: 11408515Abstract: A pressure regulator including: a housing including an inlet flow passage and an outlet flow passage; a plunger reciprocally mounted in the housing and including a plunger flow passage; an inlet to the plunger flow passage, wherein the inlet is aligned with a plane oblique to an axis of the plunger flow passage; and a valve seat fixed to the housing and positioned between the inlet flow passage and the inlet to the flow passage of the plunger, wherein the valve seat is configured to receive and abut the inlet to the flow passage of the plunger.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Nelson Irrigation CorporationInventors: Riley D. Greenwood, Craig Nelson
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Patent number: 11376621Abstract: A weighted inverted sprinkler assembly adapted for use with a drop hose of an irrigation system is disclosed. The assembly comprises a coiled weight formed from a coiled wire, a sprinkler fluidly associated with the drop hose, and a coiled weight support structure. A pressure regulator may be provided in fluid associated with the irrigation drop hose and the sprinkler. The coiled weight has a shape that is selected for use with a particular sprinkler assembly. The shape may be an elongated shape for use with an elongated coiled weight support structure, a beehive shape for use with a pressure regulator having a collar to support the coiled weight, and a pear shape for use with a pressure regulator having a flared housing. The coiled weight is preferably formed from a single coiled wire although two or more weights may be used in combination in a given application.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2018Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Nelson Irrigation CorporationInventors: Sean M. Scott, Riley D. Greenwood, Craig B. Nelson
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Publication number: 20220159418Abstract: An irrigation system includes a network hub and a plurality of remote terminal units configured for wireless communication with the network hub. The remote terminal units are connected to a device for irrigation control or sensing, such as a valve for a sprinkler. The network hub is configured to transmit a wireless broadcast to the remote terminal units, in which the wireless broadcast includes a plurality of individual packets transmitted in succession, each of the plurality of individual packets including a network identifier associated with the network hub, a time remaining in a broadcast period of time, and an assignment map indicative of an assigned state for each of the plurality of remote terminal units.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: Nelson Irrigation CorporationInventors: Travis Griggs, Mark Bauman
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Patent number: 11325147Abstract: A sprinkler includes a pop-up deflector plate that is engageable with a brake assembly in an extended position. A brake module is secured to a sprinkler body and includes a rotatable connector coupled with the brake assembly. The pop-up deflector plate is disposed adjacent the nozzle and engages the rotatable connector in the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Steven E. Crawford, Craig B. Nelson
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Patent number: 11277714Abstract: An irrigation system includes a network hub and a plurality of remote terminal units configured for wireless communication with the network hub. The remote terminal units are connected to a device for irrigation control or sensing, such as a valve for a sprinkler. The network hub is configured to transmit a wireless broadcast to the remote terminal units, in which the wireless broadcast includes a plurality of individual packets transmitted in succession, each of the plurality of individual packets including a network identifier associated with the network hub, a time remaining in a broadcast period of time, and an assignment map indicative of an assigned state for each of the plurality of remote terminal units.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Nelson Irrigation CorporationInventors: Travis Griggs, Mark Bauman
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Patent number: 11154882Abstract: A sprinkler body for a rotating sprinkler includes a base securable to a source of water under pressure, a plurality of support struts connected to and extending from the base, and a deflector plate support connected to the plurality of support struts and disposed spaced from the base by the support struts. At least one of the plurality of support struts is wedge-shaped with an inward-facing apex. The support struts are configured to create a void in the water spray pattern away from a center pivot pipe and to direct the water spray downward to limit the effect of wind on the spray pattern.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2018Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Craig B. Nelson, Andrew B. Hellie, Sean M. Scott
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Patent number: 11126208Abstract: A pressure regulator (10) including: a housing (12, 14) including a flow passage (44, 46, 48); a plunger (38) configured to move within the housing, wherein the plunger is hollow and has a plunger passage (46) included in the flow passage; a valve seat (52) in the housing and disposed in the flow passage immediately upstream of an inlet (44) to the plunger passage; a shuttle (42) within the housing configured to move between an upstream-most position at which the shuttle abuts the valve seat to close the flow passage and a downstream position displaced from the valve seat which opens the flow passage; a sealed chamber (26) within the housing and between the plunger and the shuttle, wherein the sealed chamber is configured to be operated at pressures other than at atmospheric pressure; and a port (66) in the housing and open to the sealed chamber, wherein the port is configured to be connected to a source (68) of a pressurized fluid.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Nelson Irrigation CorporationInventors: Craig Nelson, Riley D. Greenwood
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Patent number: 11090671Abstract: An automatic reversible arc assembly for a sprinkler includes a pair of primary stop members circumferentially spaced from each other by a first amount, and a pair of secondary stop members circumferentially spaced from each other by a second amount, different from the first amount. The primary stop members and the secondary stop members are coupled together and define a pivot assembly pivotable between a first position and a second position. A timer module cooperable with the pivot assembly is configured to hold the pivot assembly in the first position for a selectable period of time, after which the timer module enables the pivot assembly to pivot to the second position. The primary stop members are active in the first position, and the secondary stop members are active in the second position.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Mathew L. Zimmerman, Craig B. Nelson, Chad D. Leinweber, Joseph Daniel Sinden
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Patent number: 11085568Abstract: A gooseneck pipe includes a first pipe half having a first radiused centerline curve, and a second pipe half fixed to the first pipe half and having a second radiused centerline curve. The first and second pipe halves define a flow path. Cross-sectional diameters of the first and second pipe halves vary along the flow path. The varying diameters of the first and second pipe halves serve to mitigate pressure losses due in part to Dean vortices or secondary flow patterns in the flow path when a fluid is turned in the gooseneck pipe.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2017Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: Craig B. Nelson, Reid A. Nelson, Riley D. Greenwood, Chad D. Leinweber, Michael R. Townsend
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Patent number: 11045823Abstract: A rotary nozzle sprinkler includes a base assembly with a bearing, a stem mounted rotatably in the bearing, and an elbow coupled at a proximal end to and rotatable with the stem and including an elbow bend. A nozzle is secured to a distal end of the elbow, and a diffuser assembly including a brake mechanism is cooperable with the elbow. By positioning the nozzle downstream of the elbow, the sprinkler can achieve a greater throw radius.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2017Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: George L. Sesser, Craig B. Nelson, Barton R. Nelson
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Patent number: 11040358Abstract: A rigid mount orbitor sprinkler assembly incorporates a deflector plate configuration that is configured for both spinning/rotating motion as well as orbital or wobbling motion around the center of a spool assembly. The sprinkler includes a spider ingress opening cooperable with a spider barrier that in combination permit inevitable spider ingress while preventing spider access or contact with certain moving parts of the sprinkler.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: NELSON IRRIGATION CORPORATIONInventors: George L. Sesser, Craig B. Nelson
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Patent number: D966123Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Nelson Irrigation CorporationInventor: Riley D. Greenwood